Bank of Northern Michigan

Site History
The Kinney Building historically operated as a gasoline service station from at least 1918 to June 1986 at the northwest corner of Union Street at State Street. After 1986, it was used solely as an automotive repair facility until purchased and redeveloped through the aid of Brownfield Plan tools. The small, one-story, slab-on-grade service station was to become the Bank of Northern Michigan with three stories and a full basement along with the neighboring "Mid-Block Building" - where Seven Monks Tap Room is located. The development of commercial space above and below grade required excavation of the entire site from the curb of State Street to the curb of Union Street, and down nearly to the water table.

Redevelopment
Through baseline environmental assessment (BEA) and due care eligible activities, specifications for site preparation work necessary to raze the Kinney Service building and remove its associated underground storage tanks (USTs) were developed. Contaminants found in the soil included gasoline compounds benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylenes, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene and 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene at levels from approximately 3 to 50 times the amount allowed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for drinking water protection. Eight USTs which had been closed in-place were removed from the site, along with contaminated soil. Two abandoned and long forgotten USTs were discovered during redevelopment and were removed to eliminate the hazard to groundwater. A vapor barrier was installed beneath the basement floor slab to protect occupants from impacts too deep to remove during construction.

Project Success
The City of Traverse City Planning Commission honored this project with an Outstanding Development Award in 2008.